I keep forgetting to add these notes. Ah, well - doing it now. :)

Anyways, so many people following this! So many favourites! Thank you all! Especially since I don't think the first chapter was all that great... I never do... Hopefully this one's okay, too.

Alice stared at the people surrounding her as she walked up and down the ballroom, every so often stopping when someone made a grab at a glass on her tray. They all looked so ridiculous. The women, probably in some vain attempt at trying to be noticed by the Young Master, had gone all out, wearing fancy, bright dresses and huge hairpieces. The men, meanwhile, had made sure their appearance was as "handsome" as possible in an attempt to keep their ladies attention on them.

"Tsk," Alice muttered under her breath. If she had been invited, she would have worn something much plainer than these. And she would certainly have kept well away from the Young Master.

Speaking of the Young Master…

"Have you seen him yet?" Heather hissed to her as she appeared at her elbow. Alice just rolled her eyes. Eagerly, Heather twirled round, the empty glasses on her tray clinking together. "I can't see him just now – it's such a shame! I can't wait till you see him! You're going to be so amazed!"

Alice sighed. "You really should take that away – before you drop one…" She nodded at the tray, upon which one of the tall champagne glasses had fallen against the rest. Heather gave an embarrassed giggle and righted it before hurrying off.

Alice sighed once again, glad she was good at keeping her temper in check. For the most part, anyway.

She turned away and began to walk through the chattering crowd again. Finding a spot to stand where she wouldn't be jostled so much, she gazed over the crowd, wondering where the Young Master was (so she could avoid the area he was). However, there didn't seem to be a gaggle of girls gathered in the one spot, like she expected. She shrugged it off and decided that, if she just kept her head down, it would be unlikely he would spot her or that she would wander into his vicinity.

As she scanned the crowd, she noticed a man and woman standing a little away from everyone else. She didn't think anything of it until she noted that everyone else close enough to see them kept glancing at them. She surveyed them.

The woman was wearing an outrageous costume. Indeed, she looked like a peacock, the way her bustle rose over her head. Alice wondered if that was supposed to be the desired effect. It was highlighted by the tall blonde hair precariously balanced on her head. It had a lot of unnecessary curls and loops in it. It looked rather more like a wig than her real hair but Alice knew better – the woman would be in a lot of pain, especially wearing a corset as well. She jiggled when she laughed. Alice grimaced.

The man beside her, however… Well, there was no denying he was attractive in looks. He was wearing a sharp suit with a waistcoat and cravat, the plain colours offset by a red rose stuck in his lapel. His blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, the black ribbon tied in a bow. It was simplistic, yet Alice could tell even from this distance that it drew more notice to his natural features.

As Alice watched, he leaned towards the young woman, a rose appearing in his hand. He handed it to her and she blushed – though Alice could tell she was incredibly excited and smug. The girl glanced at a group of women not far from her; they glared at her.

Meanwhile, Alice saw the man scanning the crowd. She wondered what he was looking for until she saw his gaze lingering on other woman. She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

And then their eyes met. Shit! thought Alice and turned around. A man, who had been behind her, stopped her and picked up a glass from her tray. Which she noticed was the last one. She sighed. Now she had to go back to the kitchen – all this back and forth was getting on her nerves.

Just as she was about to step away, she felt something wrap around her waist. Alarmed, she gasped, about to cry out when she felt a presence by her shoulder and a breath on her neck. Her eyes widened as she shivered.

"Bonjour, cher," said a man's voice softly into her ear. She felt herself pulled back by his grip. "I have not seen you here before…"

With a cry, Alice spun round, using her tray to whack the man on the side of his head. The man she had just been watching cried out and stumbled backwards, falling over into a sitting position.

The room went silent. The man on the floor looked up at Alice with fear in his blue eyes, holding his head where she had struck him. Alice's emerald ones stared at him as she huffed, her heart racing.

Suddenly, she snapped at him. "Don't do something like that, as though you own me! You shouldn't touch a lady like that!"

She noticed movement and glanced up to see Antonio and Gilbert coming forward in their coat-tails to help the man. They seemed amused. In fact, now that she looked again, the man seemed to be smiling in mild amusement.

Feeling someone pulling at her dress, she turned to see Heather at her elbow. "Alice," she whispered, taking the tray from her. "Follow me."

Alice blinked. Heather was being a lot more serious than normal so Alice decided she had better follow. Glancing over her shoulder at the man who was now on his feet, she noted that he was ignoring the people around him. He was staring after her…

"He's… Who?!" exclaimed Alice in the kitchen. She was sitting, gaping at Heather on the other side of the table. The cooks were busily moving around them, ignoring them. Some of the maids, however, were gathered, glaring at Alice.

Heather sighed, impatient. "He's the Young Master. You just hit Francis Bonnefoy with a tray in front of all his guests…"

Alice's mouth hung open as she stared in disbelief at her colleague. Shit! she thought. I can't afford to lose this job! I need the money. Oh, God, what should I do?!

Heather gestured to a maid and she came forward, handing a cloth to Alice which was in a bundle. Alice took it and yelped in surprise. It was cold.

"Take this to him and apologise," said Heather. "I'm sure he'll forgive you – Francis is like that…" She trailed off and sighed dreamily before snapping back to attention. "I-I mean, the Young Master…"

Alice sighed and nodded. She glanced at the glaring women around her and wordlessly left the kitchen, making her way back to the ballroom. She stopped just outside the doors as she spotted Gilbert and Antonio.

"Kesesesese!" laughed Gilbert. "Here she comes, Tonio!" He grinned at her, jeering. "Did you find out who he was, ja?" Alice just glared at him.

"Gil, don't be so harsh," said Antonio with a smile. "You look unhappy, señorita. You should try to smile, sí?" Alice rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine. Where is he?" she asked them, thinking this would get her to him quicker. Gilbert and Antonio looked at each other, looking wary. Frowning a little, she held up the cloth. "I have something for his head."

Gilbert shrugged and Antonio turned to her, holding out his hand. "I shall take that to him, sí?"

Alice looked at him for a moment, trying to work out what they were up to. "No, I need to… apologise, too…"

Antonio looked as though he was about to insist until Gilbert pulled him back slightly, laughing. "Kesesesese! He is on the veranda." Gilbert pointed through the open doors at the French windows on the other side of the room.

Alice frowned at them, suspicious but nodded at them. "Thank you," she said as she passed by them. In the room, she had to keep to the walls while the guests danced to the music which had started up. Soon enough, undisturbed, she reached the windows and opened one, stepping outside. The wind whipped her hair about her and her skirts flapped around her legs. She shivered. Quickly, she shut the door so as not to make any of the guests cold before glancing around.

The Young Master was, indeed, there. So was the woman Alice had spotted him with earlier.

The costumed peacock giggled at something the Young Master had just said, blushing. She put her hands to her face and said, "Oh, Missure Bonnefoy! You are making me embarrassed!" Alice saw Mr Bonnefoy stiffen at the incorrect pronunciation.

Alice felt her anger rise. This man was supposed to be hurt and instead he was flirting with women as if nothing had happened?! All the while, no doubt, planning her dismissal in the morning. Bastard!

Annoyed, she decided to interrupt the "romantic" scene. "Sir," she said, loud enough to be heard. She was satisfied by their reaction: the woman gasped and spun round to look at her, now truthfully embarrassed; the Frenchman turned, eyes wide, and winced in pain from the earlier hit. "I have brought you something for your head, Young Master." She stalked forward and handed it to him. "I want to apologise for earlier. I had a shock when I heard you speaking into my ear, you see. Awfully sorry. Now, I should go back to my work, sir, unless there is anything else…?" She left the question hanging even as she turned and walked back to the door, opening it and re-entering the room.

The next morning, when Alice had dressed and made her way to the kitchen like normal (except she knew she had extra duties due to the guests who were staying over), she was surprised to be stopped in the hallway outside by Antonio.

"Ah, Alice," he said as she slowed to a stop. "Could you follow me, por favor?" Alice nodded and wordlessly followed, inwardly fretting that this was, indeed, her inevitable dismissal.

However, upon following him through the corridors of the manor, she realised that he wasn't taking her to the butler's room for dismissal. Rather, they appeared to be heading to the Young Master's room.

Hm… So it's this bad? I wonder what he'll demand I do as a repercussion…

They soon arrived and Antonio knocked on the door before opening it for Alice to enter. Inside was a seating area with two doors leading in opposite directions. One presumably led to the Frenchman's bathroom and the other to his bedroom. A round table was set in the middle of the space along with several comfortable chairs. Gilbert was reclining in one of them.

Doesn't he ever do his job? Alice thought as she was told to sit down. She clasped her hands in her lap once she had done so, obediently. Meanwhile Antonio walked off to one of the other doors and knocked lightly on it. He opened it slightly and poked his head round, presumably speaking with Francis before retreating and shutting the door behind him. Alice watched this, ignoring Gilbert who was laughing under his breath.

As the door opened once again, Alice glanced up. The Young Master appeared, wearing a pale blue dressing gown. Alice noted his bare legs and blushed, glancing away again before glaring up at Gilbert as he laughed a little louder.

"Cher!" Alice's master exclaimed, cheerily. Startled by his tone, she looked up at him. He was smiling down at her and had already crossed the distance to a nearby chair. He sat down on it, leaning towards her. "Your name is Alice, oui?" Alice nodded. "Well… What you did last night…" Alice braced herself for the inevitable fallout.

"Let us forget about that, oui?"

"Huh?" said Alice, gaping at Francis, losing her composure. "Wh-What?!"

"After all," Francis continued, smirking slightly at her surprise, "I was not behaving rather appropriately for a ball."

Finally, Alice closed her mouth. "Oh," she said. "Well… If that is all, Young Master-?"

Francis interrupted her. "Désolé, but I would like to discuss your duties today."

Alice stared at him for a moment. "Du… ties…?" she said, hesitantly.

Francis nodded. "Today, I would like for you to be my personal maid, assisting Tonio, s'il vous plaît. Now, if you will excuse me, I have matters to attend to…" He rose and walked around the chair, heading back to his room. Alice just stared after him. She watched as he opened his door and walked in. She heard a murmur of voices before the door shut.

Alice immediately turned to the butler and head gardener. "Did he just-?"

"Ja. Kesesese!" said Gilbert.

"Like all the-?"

"Sí," agreed Antonio with a nod.

"Ah…" said Alice, slumping in defeat. Well… shit.

Pfft. I was tempted to have Antonio give Alice a cheer-up charm...

Well, I've had ideas for other fan fics so I might leave off this for a wee while - but not for too long cause it's fun to write. :)

Er, if there's anything you want to know, you can always ask me. :)